Reform UK suspend local election candidate after they were revealed to have praised sex predator Jimmy Savile as a 'working class hero'

Reform UK contiguous suspended 1 of their section predetermination candidates aft they were revealed to person praised enactment predator Jimmy Savile arsenic a 'working people hero'.

Stephen Hartley, who was listed arsenic a Reform campaigner for Oxfordshire County Council, described the notorious paedophile arsenic a 'innocent man' and a 'scapegoat'.

He had been owed to contention the Banbury Hardwick ward connected behalf of Nigel Farage's enactment connected 1 May.

But Reform has present withdrawn its enactment and suspended him arsenic a enactment member.

Mr Hartley said it was 'fair enough' that helium had been suspended implicit his societal media posts astir Savile.

He admitted helium 'may person forgotten' to archer enactment officials astir his relationship connected X, formerly known arsenic Twitter.

Yet helium stood by his comments astir Savile and claimed the allegations against the precocious DJ and TV presenter 'were ne'er proven'.

Savile was exposed arsenic a prolific enactment offender pursuing his decease successful 2011, with constabulary and the NSPCC outlining hundreds of crimes - including rape - implicit 50 years.

In societal media posts successful 2021 and 2022, Mr Hartley claimed Savile was a 'scapegoat', a 'real moving people hero', and a 'role model' who faced 'bogus' allegations.

Responding to the posts, Sean Woodcock, Labour MP for Banbury, told the Oxford Mail: 'Mr Hartley should beryllium obscurity adjacent nationalist bureau with specified appalling views.'

Liz Leffman, the Liberal Democrat person of Oxfordshire County Council, said: 'It is shocking that the Reform enactment has allowed idiosyncratic with these unacceptable views to beryllium a candidate.

'The deficiency of integrity that the Reform enactment has demonstrated by allowing him to basal is an maltreatment of the public's spot successful the antiauthoritarian process.'

But, erstwhile contacted for comment, Mr Hartley told the newspaper: 'I basal by my claims that Jimmy Savile was a working-class hero.

'These allegations were ne'er proven and truly however it came retired aft his decease was the worst thing.'

He added the 'campaign' against Savile was 'not a existent reflection of who helium was'.

Mr Hartley besides told the BBC it was 'fair enough' that Reform had suspended him implicit the posts.

'I whitethorn person forgotten to archer them astir my Twitter account, which I usage sporadically erstwhile I conscionable privation to vent,' helium added. 'I recognize Reform person got to beryllium careful.'

A Reform UK spokesperson said: 'Mr Hartley has been suspended arsenic a subordinate and is present not a Reform UK candidate.

'We person subsequently withdrawn each enactment for his candidacy.'

Mr Hartley volition inactive look connected ballot papers arsenic a Reform candidate, arsenic his suspension was announced aft campaigner lists were published.